Written Answer Wednesday 28 November 2007

Scottish Executive

Child Care

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what allowances will be paid to kinship carers of children who are in the care of a local authority.

Adam Ingram: Currently local authorities have discretion to pay allowances to kinship carers of looked-after children.

  I will be publishing a strategy for foster and kinship care later this year, which will address the provision of a range of support, including financial, for kinship carers.

Child Welfare

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are on the child protection register and how many (a) child protection investigations and (b) public inquiries regarding child protection there have been in each local authority area in each of the last three years.

Adam Ingram: There were 2,593 children recorded on the child protection register on 31 March 2007. There were 11,960 child protection referrals in the preceding 12 months and 4,608 of those resulted in a case conference. The local authority breakdown for each of the last three years is as follows:

  Number of Child Protection Referrals and Subject to a Case Conference (2004-05 to 2006-07) and on Protection Registers (as at 31 March 2005-07) by Local Authority

  

Local Authority
Number of Referrals1
Number Subject to a Case Conference1
Number on Child Protection Registers


Year Ended 31 March
Year Ended 31 March
As at 31 March


2005
2006
2007
2005
2006
2007
2005
2006
2007


Aberdeen City
929
1,034
1,114
222
246
251
147
159
142


Aberdeenshire
705
859
940
98
121
68
108
105
68


Angus
192
207
304
110
93
150
53
62
88


Argyll and Bute
130
188
166
64
95
97
39
56
34


Clackmannanshire
142
126
131
19
52
37
12
24
23


Dumfries and Galloway
236
231
269
101
85
135
62
48
57


Dundee City
200
161
184
123
118
161
83
93
89


East Ayrshire
229
285
263
116
154
155
41
44
45


East Dunbartonshire
116
90
125
11
36
63
8
9
25


East Lothian
101
212
345
28
68
78
27
44
46


East Renfrewshire
94
137
125
47
52
52
15
20
18


Edinburgh, City of
882
1,078
1,018
211
298
278
234
290
311


Eilean Siar
51
42
97
27
25
24
13
12
15


Falkirk
299
371
486
114
122
134
68
55
81


Fife
363
303
496
178
228
329
118
168
202


Glasgow City
714
1,205
1,373
540
838
1,009
264
308
353


Highland
467
311
329
123
88
81
118
111
125


Inverclyde
102
221
179
43
65
68
34
33
30


Midlothian
194
228
309
50
57
73
71
50
80


Moray
315
418
438
70
64
75
70
56
72


North Ayrshire
210
285
387
85
115
123
27
34
56


North Lanarkshire
382
452
416
198
224
230
92
61
100


Orkney Isles
59
77
152
9
12
39
4
7
20


Perth and Kinross
165
117
135
55
84
67
37
31
47


Renfrewshire
264
300
318
156
205
239
69
79
87


Scottish Borders
241
295
258
68
71
86
37
46
63


Shetland
42
71
74
21
27
13
8
13
10


South Ayrshire
92
85
165
33
25
73
28
17
29


South Lanarkshire
500
452
473
200
162
208
115
99
127


Stirling
138
138
268
30
56
56
29
21
28


West Dunbartonshire
120
131
136
34
44
56
23
28
22


West Lothian
459
457
487
119
102
100
103
105
100


Scotland
9,133
10,567
11,960
3,303
4,032
4,608
2,157
2,288
2,593



  Source: Aggregate Child Protection Survey, Scottish Government

  Data background and contacts: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Children/PubChildProtection

  Note: 1. Figures prior to 2005-06 figures may not be directly comparable due to a definitional change in counting child protection referrals made in 2005-06 (see background notes of 2006-07 publication).

  Additional child protection statistics are available through the attached link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Children/PubChildProtection

  We do not centrally collect information on the number of public enquiries regarding child protection.

Class Sizes

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long it has been in possession of the final report of the Class Sizes, Staffing and Resources Working Group.

Fiona Hyslop: I received a copy of the final report of the Class Size and Resources Working Group on 12 November 2007 and it was published on the Scottish Government website on 20 November and reported in a press release on the same day.

Class Sizes

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consider double open-area classrooms of 36 pupils with two teachers as meeting the maximum class size pledge of 18 pupils in primary 1 to primary 3.

Fiona Hyslop: The formation of classes and use of accommodation in schools is a matter for local authorities in the light of an individual schools circumstances. Class size maxima of 30 were introduced in Primary 1 to Primary 3 by The Education (Lower Primary Class Sizes) (Scotland) Regulations 1999. Regulation 3 of these regulations allows a class of over 30 pupils provided a ratio of 30 pupils per teacher is maintained. The degree of flexibility that will be permissible in meeting our commitments is a matter that will be discussed with local authorities.

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take if a local authority fails to adhere to any guidance issued on class sizes in primary 1 to primary 3.

Adam Ingram: We expect to see year on year progress towards our target of a maximum of 18 pupils in primary 1 to primary 3 classes from local government in the light of the concordat signed with the Convention of Scottish Local authorities on 14 November 2007.

Class Sizes

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning will make a ministerial statement to the Parliament on class sizes.

Fiona Hyslop: The Cabinet Secretary will make a statement on class sizes on 5 December 2007.

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, if an S1 and S2 maths or English class contains more than 20 pupils, what the average class size should be for that subject in that school.

Maureen Watt: The average maths and English class sizes in any particular school would depend upon the number of pupils taking those subjects and the number of classes from S1 to S6.

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in providing guidance to local authorities on class sizes in maths and English for S1 and S2, what advice is provided about (a) average class sizes and (b) flexibility.

Maureen Watt: Guidance on the implementation of the previous administration’s class size commitments in S1 and S2 maths and English classes was contained in Circular 1/2007 issued on 2 April 2007. This guidance is still extant. A copy was placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44093).

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in allowing flexibility in respect of primary 1 to primary 3 class sizes, it will provide resources to employ sufficient teachers by 2011 to allow for class sizes of 18 in every primary school, if this is the local priority.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government will be providing local government in Scotland with record levels of funding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. The vast majority of the funding will be provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments.

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5581 by Maureen Watt on 2 November 2007, whether any assessment was made of the implications for the physical accommodation requirements in schools before the decision was made to pursue the policy of reducing class sizes to 18 in primary 1 to primary 3.

Maureen Watt: I have nothing to add to the answer to question S3W-5581.

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5580 by Maureen Watt on 2 November 2007, whether each local authority is required to provide the Executive with details of how it has spent its share of the £40 million Schools Fund grant in pursuance of reducing class sizes to 18 in primary 1 to primary 3.

Maureen Watt: As part of their grant claims, authorities will provide brief descriptions of the projects on which they have spent their share of the total Schools Fund capital grant this financial year of £161.05 million.

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5580 by Maureen Watt on 2 November 2007, whether each local authority is required to spend its share of the £40 million of Schools Fund grant in pursuance of reducing class sizes to 18 in primary 1 to primary 3.

Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-5064 and S3W-5065 on 25 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5579 by Maureen Watt on 2 November 2007, whether any estimates were made of the additional capital requirements in each year from 2007-08 to 2011-12 to support the reduction in class sizes to 18 in primary 1 to primary 3 before the decision was made to proceed with this policy.

Maureen Watt: I have nothing to add to the answer given to question S3W-5579

Drug Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £94 million allocated to drug misuse, as referred to in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 , will exclude treatment for people with problems related to alcohol addiction.

Shona Robison: The £94 million allocated in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 is ring-fenced in the Justice portfolio for drug treatment. There is a similar line of funding in the health portfolio ring-fenced for the provision of alcohol treatment services. Given the close link between alcohol and drug misuse and that many individuals receive treatment for both alcohol and drugs issues, the Scottish Government accepts that a degree of flexibility may be applied at a local level in the funding of treatment services for this population as a whole.

Drug Misuse

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has allocated for drug services, including treatment, rehabilitation and education, in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 at 2007 prices, including any funding allocated to local authorities in the local government settlement.

Fergus Ewing: The drugs misuse budget within the Justice portfolio is £29.5 million/£32.0 million/£32.8 million (£28.7 million/£30.3 million/£30.3 million at 2007 prices) for the period 2008-9 to 2010-11. This budget is used to provide ring-fenced funding to health boards to deliver drug treatment and support services, and to support a range of national projects.

  In line with the local government finance settlement, it will be the responsibility of local authorities to allocate funding for drug treatment services to a level decided by them on the basis of their local needs and priorities from the consolidated block grant. In the past, the level of this funding has been significant, and at least comparable to the drugs misuse budget within the Justice portfolio. Similarly, local authorities fund drug education from the block grant to a level determined by the local authorities themselves.

  In addition to the above, resources for tackling drug misuse are provided through a number of other budgets. In particular, many health boards use resources from their unified budget to supplement funds provided through the drug misuse budget; the police use some of their resources towards tackling drug misuse, and further resources, such as those from the budget allocated to dealing with blood borne viruses, are used to deal with the types of problems associated with drug misuse.

Drug Misuse

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a national drugs commission.

Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-789 on 27 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions, or oral parliamentary questions that have reverted to written parliamentary questions, are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Drug Misuse

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to restore ring-fenced funding for drugs education as set out in the SNP manifesto.

Fergus Ewing: Through the Concordat with COSLA we want to move to an outcomes-focused approach which empowers local authorities and provides consolidated block grants rather than ring-fenced funding. This will give councils flexibility to allocate resources to meet local need and priorities. As part of drawing up Single Outcome Agreements we will develop outcomes to ensure that our common aim of reducing drug misuse can be met.

  Effective substance misuse education is important in helping young people to make informed choices about positive lifestyles and avoiding drug use. The Scottish Government is actively working with key stakeholders to develop a programme of work to improve the effectiveness of substance misuse education in schools.

Equalities

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid to the Equality Network in each year since 1999.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Executive has not given core funding to Equality Network, nor does it fund campaigning activity. Grant Funding awarded to Equality Network has been time limited project funding for specific pieces of work relating mainly to consultation and engagement with the LGBT community

  The grant funding awarded to Equality Network in each year since 1999 is as follows:

  

 Year
 Equality Network


 1999-2000
 Nil


 2000-01
 Nil


 2001-2
 Nil


 2002-03
£46,097.00


 2003-04
£60,009.00


 2004-05
£202,472.00


 2005-06
£199,300.62


 2006-07
£184,541.60


 Total
£692,420.22

Further and Higher Education

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available through the strategic spending review to invest in specific projects to widen access to further and higher education.

Fiona Hyslop: The government will work closely with the funding council and institutions in the months ahead to decide how the £5.24 billion allocated to further and higher education over the spending review period can be most effectively used. Decisions on investment in specific projects to widen access to further and higher education remain the responsibility of the Scottish Funding Council.

  The government has made specific an additional investment of £38 million over the Spending Review period to support part-time students. This support will enable students who face very specific cost related barriers to higher education to embark on their studies. This is very much in line with the government’s policy to ensure that participation in higher education is based on the ability to succeed rather than the ability to pay.

Further and Higher Education

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people from Scotland entered further education in countries outside the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, also showing the percentages that these numbers represented of all young people entering further education.

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people from Scotland entered higher education in countries outside the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, also showing the percentages that these numbers represented of all young people entering further education.

Fiona Hyslop: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any known adverse health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.

Shona Robison: Electric and magnetic fields of the type produced by the electricity distribution system can induce electric currents in the the body. If these currents are large enough then sensations such as small electric shocks and flickering sensations in the eye can occur.

  The existing guidelines on restrictions on public exposure to electric and magnetic fields are 5 kiloVolts per metre and 100 microTeslas, and these are based on the avoidance of these various established biological effects.

  There is some epidemiological evidence that prolonged exposure to power frequency magnetic fields well below 100 microTeslas may be associated with a small risk of childhood leukaemia, but the UK Health Protection Agency advises that this evidence is not strong enough to justify the firm conclusion that exposure to such fields does cause leukaemia in children.

  The Stakeholder Advisory Group on Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (SAGE) published their First Interim Assessment: Power Lines and Property, Wiring in Homes and Electrical Equipment in Homes on 27 April 2007. The report of the Cross Party Inquiry into Childhood Leukaemia and Extremely Low Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields was published in July of 2007.

  The Scottish Government will consider the content of these reports in close liaison with colleagues in relevant UK Government Departments and devolved administrations.

Health

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to people with long-term chronic health conditions.

Nicola Sturgeon: The majority of care for people with long-term conditions is provided through primary care teams, with access to specialist care when needed. NHS boards and their community health partnerships (CHP) are responsible for providing services for their resident populations according to need. CHPs are expected to complete the long-term conditions toolkit issued in February 2007 in order to ensure that services provided for people with long-term conditions are integrated, both within health and with social care, responsive and of high quality.

  There is also a clear role for the voluntary sector in providing information and support, whether for specific long-term conditions or more generally through the Long Term Conditions Alliance in Scotland.

Health

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what educational materials are available to people with long-term chronic health conditions to assist them in managing those conditions.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government understands that provision of educational materials and reliable information is particularly important for people with long-term conditions, and for their families and carers. Developing a co-ordinated approach to the availability of such materials will be an important aspect of the long-term conditions action plan which we are developing in partnership with the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland.

Health

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available to voluntary groups that support people with long-term chronic health conditions.

Nicola Sturgeon: Grants are available under Section 16B of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 to voluntary organisations which operate on a Scotland-wide basis and which are engaged in health initiatives that complement those required by statute.

Health

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the support available to people with long-term chronic health conditions.

Nicola Sturgeon: Our approach to the management of long-term conditions will be set out in our Action Plan for Health and Wellbeing , following the consultation on Better Health, Better Care .

  We are also working in partnership with the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland on a long-term conditions action plan which will set out our approach to the management of long-term conditions, with a particular emphasis on self-management.

Health

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase the resources available to voluntary groups that support people with long-term chronic health conditions.

Nicola Sturgeon: This issue will be looked at in the context of the long-term conditions action plan which we are developing in partnership with the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland.

  More generally, we are currently implementing the December 2006 recommendations from the Community-led Supporting and Developing Healthy Communities Task Group. This will deliver a range of measures designed to improve access for community-led and voluntary bodies to skills and advice to enable them to improve delivery of services, to demonstrate effectiveness in improving health and to work better with funders in meeting the needs of the communities served. The work will also provide advice and support to funders to enable them to work better with three sector service providers. This work has commenced with local discussions bringing funders and service providers together with tailored support. The support provided will not include additional funding for front-line activities from central government.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what caused any delay in establishing an in-patient rehabilitation facility for patients with acquired brain injury in Ayrshire and Arran.

Nicola Sturgeon: No firm date for the establishment of such a facility has ever been given by the board.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when patients in Ayrshire and Arran will be able to access an in-patient rehabilitation facility for patients with acquired brain injury.

Nicola Sturgeon: That is a matter for NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Justice

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any further plans for the management of offenders.

Kenny MacAskill: I will announce today proposals to enable the Home Detention Curfew scheme to apply to those offenders whom the parole board for Scotland has assessed as being suitable for release on licence from the half-way point of their sentence. I also propose to extend the period which eligible offenders can spend on Home Detention Curfew. Home Detention Curfew will continue to be available only to those offenders who have been assessed as being a low risk. The new measures will support the effective targeting of valuable prison resources.

  These measures and our proposals to reform and revitalise community penalties, published yesterday, mark two further significant milestones towards achieving the Scottish Government’s objective of a coherent penal policy.

NHS Boards

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to bring forward proposals to introduce direct elections to NHS boards.

Nicola Sturgeon: The consultation on the Local Healthcare Bill will start soon. The consultation will seek views on public and community involvement with NHS boards and on direct elections to NHS boards.

NHS Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-22125 by Andy Kerr on 19 January 2006, how many psychologists have been employed by each NHS board in each year since 2004, broken down by category and expressed also on a per capita basis.

Nicola Sturgeon: The following tables show the whole-time equivalent (WTE) of NHS employed psychologists by NHS board area and the ratio per capita population per one WTE of all NHS-employed applied psychologists. Whole-time equivalent adjusts head count to take account of part-time working.

  Table 1: Clinical Psychologists (WTE) by NHS Board at 30 September 2004

  

 
 Clinical Psychologists Grade B
 Clinical Psychologists Grade A
 Other Applied Psychologists*
 Total WTE of all Applied Psychologists
 Ratio Per Capita Population to 1 WTE of all Applied Psychologists


 Argyll and Clyde
 10.70
 12.20
 2.00
 24.90
 16,693


 Ayrshire and Arran
 11.00
 10.30
 1.86
 23.16
 15,872


 Borders
 3.90
 5.10
 1.00
 10.00
 10,927


 Dumfries and Galloway
 8.20
 4.65
 1.00
 13.85
 10,681


 Fife
 14.00
 24.10
 3.00
 41.10
 8,626


 Forth Valley
 8.50
 7.10
 0.80
 16.40
 17,181


 Grampian
 9.85
 27.30
 6.01
 43.16
 12,141


 Greater Glasgow
 45.45
 50.63
 4.90
 100.98
 8,587


 Highland
 4.80
 8.30
 -
 13.10
 16,133


 Lanarkshire
 9.70
 20.60
 3.50
 33.80
 16,453


 Lothian
 25.04
 31.46
 4.40
 60.90
 12,931


 State Hospital
 2.70
 5.45
 1.00
 9.15
 -


 Tayside
 11.50
 16.60
 .
 28.10
 13,484


 Scotland
 165.34
 223.79
 29.47
 418.60
 12,132



  Table 2: Clinical Psychologists (WTE) by NHS Board at 30 September 2005

  

 
 Clinical Psychologists Grade B
 Clinical Psychologists Grade A
 Other Applied Psychologists*
 Total WTE of all Applied Psychologists
 Ratio Per Capita Population to 1 WTE of all Applied Psychologists


 Argyll and Clyde
 10.50
 13.40
 2.00
 25.90
 16,049


 Ayrshire and Arran
 11.00
 10.10
 1.86
 22.96
 16,010


 Borders
 3.20
 3.70
 1.00
 7.90
 13,832


 Dumfries and Galloway
 8.55
 2.98
 2.00
 13.53
 10,933


 Fife
 16.20
 29.98
 4.00
 50.18
 7,065


 Forth Valley
 8.40
 6.30
 0.80
 15.50
 18,178


 Grampian
 10.05
 32.65
 5.80
 48.50
 10,805


 Greater Glasgow
 45.90
 55.93
 4.90
 106.73
 8,124


 Highland
 3.80
 8.30
 -
 12.10
 17,466


 Lanarkshire
 9.70
 16.00
 3.50
 29.20
 19,045


 Lothian
 28.29
 39.06
 5.61
 72.96
 10,794


 Shetland
 1.00
 -
 -
 1.00
 21,940


 State Hospital
 2.70
 6.74
 1.00
 10.44
 -


 Tayside
 10.50
 14.20
 -
 24.70
 15,705


 Scotland
 169.79
 239.32
 32.47
 441.59
 11,500



  Table 3: Clinical Psychologists (WTE) by NHS Board at 30 September 2006

  

 
 Clinical Psychologists Grade B
 Clinical Psychologists Grade A
 Other Applied Psychologists*
 Total WTE of all Applied Psychologists
 Ratio Per Capita Population to 1 WTE of all Applied Psychologists


 Ayrshire and Arran
 10.90
 12.60
 1.86
 25.36
 14,472


 Borders
 3.40
 6.50
 1.00
 10.90
 10,067


 Dumfries and Galloway
 8.55
 5.00
 2.00
 15.55
 9,540


 Fife
 15.80
 34.58
 4.00
 54.38
 6,559


 Forth Valley
 7.20
 9.66
 0.88
 17.74
 16,030


 Grampian
 9.55
 32.00
 7.00
 48.55
 10,833


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 54.45
 78.63
 7.60
 140.68
 8,466


 Highland
 5.40
 10.05
 -
 15.45
 19,706


 Lanarkshire
 10.25
 13.20
 5.60
 29.05
 19,177


 Lothian
 29.84
 40.84
 6.00
 76.68
 10,336


 Shetland
 1.00
 -
 -
 1.00
 22,000


 State Hospital
 4.30
 6.35
 3.70
 14.35
 -


 Tayside
 10.50
 14.80
 2.00
 27.30
 14,275


 Scotland
 171.14
 264.20
 41.63
 476.97
 10,682



  Source: ISD Scotland, IR2007-02875.

  Note: *Other Applied Psychologists includes counselling psychologists, health psychologists, forensic psychologists and neuropsychologists.

  Table 1: Clinical Psychologists (WTE) by NHS Board at 30 September 2004

  

 
 Clinical Psychologists Grade B
 Clinical Psychologists Grade A
 Other Applied Psychologists*
 Total WTE of all Applied Psychologists


 Argyll and Clyde
 10.70
 12.20
 2.00
 24.90


 Ayrshire and Arran
 11.00
 10.30
 1.86
 23.16


 Borders
 3.90
 5.10
 1.00
 10.00


 Dumfries and Galloway
 8.20
 4.65
 1.00
 13.85


 Fife
 14.00
 24.10
 3.00
 41.10


 Forth Valley
 8.50
 7.10
 0.80
 16.40


 Grampian
 9.85
 27.30
 6.01
 43.16


 Greater Glasgow
 45.45
 50.63
 4.90
 100.98


 Highland
 4.80
 8.30
 -
 13.10


 Lanarkshire
 9.70
 20.60
 3.50
 33.80


 Lothian
 25.04
 31.46
 4.40
 60.90


 State Hospital
 2.70
 5.45
 1.00
 9.15


 Tayside
 11.50
 16.60
 .
 28.10


 Scotland
 165.34
 223.79
 29.47
 418.60



  Table 2: Clinical Psychologists (WTE) by NHS Board at 30 September 2005

  

 
 Clinical Psychologists Grade B
 Clinical Psychologists Grade A
 Other Applied Psychologists*
 Total WTE of all Applied Psychologists


 Argyll and Clyde
 10.50
 13.40
 2.00
 25.90


 Ayrshire and Arran
 11.00
 10.10
 1.86
 22.96


 Borders
 3.20
 3.70
 1.00
 7.90


 Dumfries and Galloway
 8.55
 2.98
 2.00
 13.53


 Fife
 16.20
 29.98
 4.00
 50.18


 Forth Valley
 8.40
 6.30
 0.80
 15.50


 Grampian
 10.05
 32.65
 5.80
 48.50


 Greater Glasgow
 45.90
 55.93
 4.90
 106.73


 Highland
 3.80
 8.30
 -
 12.10


 Lanarkshire
 9.70
 16.00
 3.50
 29.20


 Lothian
 28.29
 39.06
 5.61
 72.96


 Shetland
 1.00
 -
 -
 1.00


 State Hospital
 2.70
 6.74
 1.00
 10.44


 Tayside
 10.50
 14.20
 -
 24.70


 Scotland
 169.79
 239.32
 32.47
 441.59



  Table 3: Clinical Psychologists (WTE) by NHS Board at 30 September 2006

  

 
 Clinical Psychologists Grade B
 Clinical Psychologists Grade A
 Other Applied Psychologists*
 Total WTE of all Applied Psychologists


 Ayrshire and Arran
 10.90
 12.60
 1.86
 25.36


 Borders
 3.40
 6.50
 1.00
 10.90


 Dumfries and Galloway
 8.55
 5.00
 2.00
 15.55


 Fife
 15.80
 34.58
 4.00
 54.38


 Forth Valley
 7.20
 9.66
 0.88
 17.74


 Grampian
 9.55
 32.00
 7.00
 48.55


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 54.45
 78.63
 7.60
 140.68


 Highland
 5.40
 10.05
 -
 15.45


 Lanarkshire
 10.25
 13.20
 5.60
 29.05


 Lothian
 29.84
 40.84
 6.00
 76.68


 Shetland
 1.00
 -
 -
 1.00


 State Hospital
 4.30
 6.35
 3.70
 14.35


 Tayside
 10.50
 14.80
 2.00
 27.30


 Scotland
 171.14
 264.20
 41.63
 476.97



  Note: *Other Applied Psychologists includes counselling psychologists, health psychologists, forensic psychologists and neuropsychologists.

Pensions

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the matter of the missing personal pension information sent by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde only became public in response to an inquiry from Scotland on Sunday on 24 November 2007.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government became aware on Friday that a package of pension benefit statements might have gone missing. Investigations were already underway when we received an inquiry from Scotland on Sunday . On this occasion, exceptionally, ministers took the view that in the context of wider public concern about missing data there was an over-riding need to release the full facts about the NHS pension statements.

People with Learning Difficulties

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to children with learning difficulties who experience bullying in school.

Maureen Watt: Respect me , Scotland’s anti-bullying service, provides advice, information and training to support those who work with children and young people in dealing effectively with incidents of bullying.

  In addition, the Scottish Government provides funding to ChildLine Scotland for the bullying helpline which offers free advice and support to those being bullied.

  Scottish local authorities and schools have a range of methods of supporting children and young people who are bullied in school. In some circumstances being bullied or bullying another pupil may affect a pupil’s education and a need for additional support may arise. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 provides a framework for the provision of this support.

People with Learning Difficulties

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports of bullying of children with learning difficulties were reported in each year since 2002, broken down by local education authority.

Maureen Watt: The information requested is not held centrally.

People with Learning Difficulties

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that people with learning difficulties are involved in the formulation of anti-bullying strategies.

Maureen Watt: Respect me , Scotland’s anti-bullying service, provides information, advice and training to support those working with children and young people on all aspects of bullying. Respect me has developed a toolkit to support training, including an outline of specific issues such as bullying related to disabilities. Respect me is working with Enable, the voluntary organisation which represents children and young people with learning disabilities and will continue this work to develop specific elements of the toolkit which will address bullying of people with learning disabilities in more detail. This toolkit will inform the development of anti-bullying policies across Scotland.

Police

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has consulted any stakeholders about a new retention scheme for police officers.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 500 police officers it plans to place in communities from retention and redeployment by 2011 will be from (a) retention and (b) redeployment.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive from what date it will begin to increase police officers in the community by 500 through retention and redeployment.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government will deliver an additional 1,000 police officers in our communities through increased recruitment, improved retention and redeployment. We have already announced, as a first step, the recruitment of 500 new officers over the lifetime of Parliament, and in line with the rest of the public sector, have set the police a clear 2 per cent efficiency target to be reinvested to support improved retention and the redeployment of officers to strengthen operational policing in our communities.

  We have not set specific targets for retention or redeployment since decisions on the specific recruitment and deployment of police officers are an operational matter for Chief Constables.

  Work is already underway in this regard and Chief Constables and Police Board Conveners share our clear desire for a greater visible police presence in our communities.

  Discussions have also taken place with stakeholders on the development of new opportunities to improve retention, and on the evaluation of the existing 30+ scheme. Our aim is to ensure that police forces continue to benefit from the services of the most skilled and able of the 2,300 officers eligible to retire over the next four years.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether increasing entitlement to 475 hours a year for all pupils means that all pupils will receive an increase in their hours at nursery.

Adam Ingram: All children eligible for free pre-school education are now entitled to 475 hours per year following the increase from August 2007.

  Previously the entitlement was for 412.5 hours although education authorities could choose to provide additional hours. The Pre-school and Childcare Statistics 2007 showed that in January 2007 there were 98,810 three, four and five-year-old children in pre-school education. The main beneficiaries of the increase in entitlement are the 27,520 children who attend private, voluntary and independent sector centres, but there are also wider benefits to local authorities from putting this level of entitlement on a proper statutory and financial footing.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/26094517/0.

Pre-School Education

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families will benefit from the proposed increase in nursery provision in (a) Central Scotland parliamentary region, (b) each parliamentary constituency in Central Scotland parliamentary region, (c) North Lanarkshire local authority area, (d) South Lanarkshire local authority area and (e) Falkirk local authority area, as outlined in the Scottish Budget Spending Review 2007 .

Adam Ingram: All eligible children will be entitled to 570 hours of pre-school education from  August 2010. The numbers of children attending pre-school education as of January 2007 in the areas specified are provided as follows. Information is not held on the number of families with children in pre-school education.

  The figures used are the number of three, four and five-year-old children in pre-school education at January 2007 and are taken from the Pre-school and Childcare Statistics 2007.

  See: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/26094517/0.

  Number of Children Attending Pre-School Education

  

 Scottish Parliamentary Constituency:
 


 Coatbridge and Chryston
 1,490


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
 1,400


 East Kilbride
 1,660


 Falkirk East
 1,350


 Falkirk West
 1,570


 Airdrie and Shotts
 1,560


 Hamilton North and Bellshill
 1,390


 Hamilton South
 1,300


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun
 1,520


 Motherwell and Wishaw
 1,260


 Central Scotland Parliamentary Region
 14,510


 Local Authority:
 


 Falkirk
 2,920


 North Lanarkshire
 6,620


 South Lanarkshire
 5,820

Pre-School Education

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families in the Clydebank and Milngavie parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed increase in nursery provision.

Adam Ingram: All eligible children will be entitled to 570 hours of pre-school education from August 2010. The number of children attending pre-school education in Clydebank and Milngavie parliamentary constituency as of January 2007 was 1,380.

  The figure used is the number of three, four and five-year-old children in pre-school education at January 2007 and is taken from the Pre-school and Childcare Statistics 2007.

  See: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/26094517/0.

  Information is not held on the number of families with children in pre-school education.

Pre-School Education

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families in the Dumbarton parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed increase in nursery provision.

Adam Ingram: All eligible children will be entitled to 570 hours of pre-school education from August 2010. The number of children attending pre-school education in Dumbarton parliamentary constituency as of January 2007 was 1,340.

  The figure used is the number of three, four and five-year-old children in pre-school education at January 2007 and is taken from the Pre-school and Childcare Statistics 2007.

  See: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/26094517/0.

  Information is not held on the number of families with children in pre-school education.

Pre-School Education

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families in the Strathkelvin and Bearsden parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed increase in nursery provision.

Adam Ingram: All eligible children will be entitled to 570 hours of pre-school education from August 2010. The number of children attending pre-school education in Strathkelvin and Bearsden parliamentary constituency as of January 2007 was 1,560.

  The figure used is the number of three, four and five-year-old children in pre-school education at January 2007 and is taken from the Pre-school and Childcare Statistics 2007.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/26094517/0.

  Information is not held on the number of families with children in pre-school education.

Pre-School Education

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any evidence that it is more difficult to recruit and retain staff in small schools.

Maureen Watt: We are not aware of any evidence that it is more difficult to recruit and retain staff in small schools. The recruitment and retention of staff is a matter for individual local authorities.

Schools

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £40 million capital announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning in June 2007 is being spent providing nursery or school classrooms.

Fiona Hyslop: The background to the allocation of this additional £40 million Schools Fund capital grant was set out in a letter to local authorities of 10 July 2007. A copy is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43795). The grant is for expenditure at any stage of the current financial year which ends on 31 March 2008.

Scottish Government Expenditure

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the changes are from the 2007-08 baseline for each proposed budget line at levels (a) one, (b) two and (c) three of the Education and Lifelong Learning portfolio resulting from Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 , expressed in real (i) cash and (ii) percentage terms for each year of the spending review.

Fiona Hyslop: The information requested for levels one and two is given in Draft Budget 2008-09: Real Terms Analysis , a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44133).

Sport

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposal for a 50-metre swimming pool in Aberdeen will be able to access Scottish Government funding from sources other than sportscotland’s Building for Sport programme.

Stewart Maxwell: All Scottish Government funding for sport is routed through sportscotland.

  There has been the opportunity in the past to access additional funding, for example through the National Regional Sports Facilities Strategy.

  We continue to encourage Aberdeen City Council to put in place a realistic and viable proposal on which sportscotland can make an assessment and consider future funding options.

Sport

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the number of centres of sporting excellence.

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many centres of sporting excellence it intends to have in operation by the end of the current spending review period.

Maureen Watt: We have asked HM Inspectorate of Education, with the assistance of sportscotland, to advise on current best practice both at Glasgow School of Sport at Bellahouston Academy and elsewhere, in identifying and nurturing sporting talent within the school system. When we have the benefit of that advice, we will be in a position to consider, in an informed way, how best to develop such talent in future.

Student Finance

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether student debt could be written off over a period longer than one year.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s policy proposal was to meet student loan repayments and not write off in one amount the accumulated student loan debt. Under current accounting conventions student loan debt could not be written off over a period longer than one year.

  We are continuing to explore options for servicing the debt and we are planning to seek views of stakeholders on measures to tackle graduate debt through a consultation next year.

Student Finance

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it prepared detailed proposals to service the existing loan debt of Scotland-domiciled graduates by meeting their annual loan repayments as long as they are resident in Scotland.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any proposals it drafted to service the existing loan debt of Scotland-domiciled graduates by meeting their annual loan repayments as long as they are resident in Scotland.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not prepared detailed proposals but is currently examining options for servicing this loan debt.

  In Principles and Priorities: The Government’s Programme for Scotland the Scottish Government set out plans to consult to seek the views of stakeholders on measures to tackle graduate debt. We will set out details of our proposals as part of that consultation exercise.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/09/05093403/4.

Student Finance

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult students and student organisations on their reactions to its decision not to proceed with the pledge to service the existing loan debt for Scotland-domiciled graduates by meeting their annual loan repayments as long as they are resident in Scotland.

Fiona Hyslop: We plan to conduct a consultation next year to seek the views of stakeholders, including students and student organisations, on measures to tackle graduate debt.